As it happened: Labor leadership

Leader of the House Anthony Albanese came out in support for Kevin Rudd, as the former prime minister was mobbed by supporters while walking through Brisbane's Queen Street Mall. Look back at how Saturday February 25 unfolded for the federal Labor Party.

3:26pm: Special Minister of State Gary Gray has pledged support for Julia Gillard: "Kevin's a good person ... [but] I'm supporting the Prime Minister because I think she's the right choice for Australia for the future and the right choice for the Labor Party.

2:15pm: ABC political correspondent Greg Jennett pouring some cold water on the Albo effect on ABC News 24. "He doesn't necessarily bring with him large numbers of people." And as Albanese himself said, he's been on the losing side of leadership spills before.

2:14pm: Rudd ends the impromptu presser as he zips off to chat with more shoppers.

2:08pm: Rudd: "What Albo's talking about today is binding hearts together and binding minds together for the future... you're all hard-bitten political journalists ... you've seen some good speeches and some utterly appalling speeches ... but Albo hit the nail on the head... his call to us all is to bind the hearts together [and work as a team]." This is shaping now as an explicit pitch to Labor MPs.

2:05pm: Rudd is talking to reporters. Says "really humbled" by what Albo had to say "about me and about the future of the ALP".

1:52pm: The heavens have opened in Brisbane. Is this a sign? KRudd has dashed under cover and continued his walkabout.

1:48pm: And now Kevin Rudd has broken cover - TV footage shows him smiling and chatting with supporters in Brisbane's Queen Street Mall.

1:32pm: Tony Abbott has weighed in: "I think it is embarrassing for Labor supporters to listen to people you thought you could look up to tearing each other to pieces."

12:48pm: Julia Gillard says she's still confident of winning on Monday: "Monday is it. End of it. Everyone accepts the result, then it is over and it is done .. then we will unite as I have described." Ends press conference.

12:41pm: Gillard says Albanese is a "great Labor man with a great Labor heart ... I refused to accept his resignation ... I can't imagine a government I lead without Anthony Albanese in there beside me."

12:24pm: And that's a wrap from Anthony Albanese. An emotional announcement for him, delivered with grace. We'll have more quotes and reaction soon. Will be interesting to hear from Rudd now.

12:17pm: Albanese is breaking up again: "I like fighting Tories... that's what I do."

12:13pm: Albo's still going but in the meantime here are some key points from @latikambourke.

Anthony Albanese 'I have made my decision, it has not been easy.'

Anthony Albanese says the party needs to win in 2013 to entrench the reforms of now and Kevin Rudd is better placed

Anthony Albanese says I argued that night to Kevin Rudd that he shouldn't contest the ballot because it was in the interests of the party.

Anthony Albanese says regardless of personalities, you can't remove a first term PM. Says only 3 leaders have led Labor to victory.

Anthony Albanese 'I argued against this on the night of 23 June..' says the Government's difficulties trace back to this night.

Anthony Albanese 'I also argued against a challenge...I believe that the last few days has done damage to our party.'

Anthony Albanese 'in recent times I've argued against the spill.'

Julia Gillard thanked Anthony Albanese and wants him to remain as Leader of the House because of his loyalty and tenacity.

12:05pm: This is an extraordinary press conference. Albanese says he has offered his resignation as Leader of the House to Julia Gillard. His voice is breaking as he says this.

12:04pm: And Albanese has declared for Kevin Rudd.

12:03pm: Albanese talking about Gillard's "outstanding" record.

12:02pm: An emotional Anthony Albanese is speaking now: "I have despaired in recent days as I have watched Labor being devalued."

11:54am: Some key quotes from Julia Gillard's speech to the NSW Country Labor conference in Cessnock.

On her track record of reforms:

"Has it cost us politically doing some of these very hard things? Absolutely it has. But did we put the nation first when we made those decisions? Absolutely we did."

"These meaningful and lasting reforms are the measure of a great Labor Government."

On her electoral chances:

"I am incredibly confident about our prospects of success when we present at the next election in about 18 months' time."

"There is lazy talk around about defeat at the next election. It is not in our culture ... I do not have a defeatist bone in my body."

"I am confident we will prevail in 2013 ... and that will be the end of Tony Abbott's tantrum.

On Monday's leadership ballot:

"The federal Labor Party doesn't face just one big decision [on Monday morning], it faces two. First, we must choose a leader in the ballot I've called. Second, we must choose unity."

"On Monday afternoon, I promise you this. The Caucus will come together to work for the Australian people. Even in adversity the overwhelming majority of your representatives have been doing it every day."

11:47am: Anthony Albanese is expected to speak soon - he's the only senior minister so far not to have declared his hand.

11:44amGillard closes speech by urging delegates to keep the faith - "I'll see you on that campaign trail when we defeat Tony Abbott." No mention of Kevin Rudd in that speech at all.

11:42am: Gillard: "The federal Labor Party doesn't face just one big decision [on Monday morning], it faces two. First, we must choose a leader in the ballot I've called. Second, we must choose unity."

11:34am: Gillard rallies the troops: "There is lazy talk around about defeat at the next election ... it is not in our culture ... I do not have a defeatist bone in my body."

11:28am: Ms Gillard tells NSW Country Labor faithful that "your Labor Government" has been busy getting on with the job, "we've pursued that light on the hill". Repeating yesterday's "getting it done" message on key reforms.

In late July or early August, Mr Rudd came to Perth. I invited him out to the federal seat of Swan to campaign in the shopping centre there and I was amazed by what I saw.

Mr Rudd wouldn't have been in the shopping centre for 10 seconds when he was mobbed by about 50 to 80 people and for the next two hours he couldn't move. They came up to him one by one - a whole range of people came up to him, touched him and spoke to him quietly and said, Kevin, you've been hard done by - when are they going to put you back into place?

WA Senator Mark Bishop

11:12am: More from this morning's Newspoll. Kevin Rudd leads Tony Abbott as preferred prime minister 48 per cent to 40 per cent. Against Julia Gillard, Mr Abbott leads 43 per cent to 34 per cent as preferred PM.

10:54am: Our colleagues at ABC News 24 have put together this history of leadership spills. If political ambition, betrayal, and/or revenge are your bag, it's worth a look.

10:25am: And Hawker comes out swinging. He tells @George_Roberts that "I think the PM should actually think about whether she stands on Monday. It's that serious ... if the Labor Party wants to remain in government it's going to have to put Kevin Rudd in the PM's job."

10:20am: Campaign strategist Bruce Hawker has just arrived outside Kevin Rudd's house - his chief of staff and other advisers are already inside.

10:17am: Will today's polls showing Mr Rudd on top influence Labor MPs when they vote on Monday morning? On our Facebook page, one reader says they should hold the line and continue to back Ms Gillard.

MPs that are influenced by this poll would have to have rocks in their heads. Abbott walked all over him last time and now Rudd is a lame duck that can be picked to pieces in Question Time.

Neil Miley on Facebook

10:07am: Home Affairs and Justice Minister Jason Clare told Sabra Lane that the ALP could lose power for a generation if the continued destabilisation continues.

9:51am: Galaxy pollster David Briggs has told ABC Weekend Breakfast that: "all [today's polls] really show is what everyone in the Labor Party already knows - and that is that Kevin Rudd is by far the most popular option over Julia Gillard."

Galaxy's two-party preferred numbers this morning have Labor trailing the Coalition by 46 per cent to 54 per cent under Julia Gillard; but closing the gap to 49-51 under Kevin Rudd.

9:41am: The ABC's George Roberts reports from outside Kevin Rudd's Brisbane home. Still no sign of the man himself, but, in breaking news, some fresh bread has been delivered.

9:31am: From the photo desk: Julia Gillard in Melbourne yesterday, shortly after KRudd announced his challenge.

9:25am: On Twitter? Follow @latikambourke, on deck for us now in Canberra.

9:20am: But Left faction leader Doug Cameron says it's clear Caucus must choose Mr Rudd: "They should not sign a political suicide note."

9:15am: Labor frontbencher Craig Emerson this morning: "The polls out today confirm that a Labor Government united behind Julia Gillard's leadership is within striking distance of defeating Mr Abbott at the next election."

8:31am: If you missed it last night, here's Simon Crean's interview with Chris Uhlmann on 7.30 last night. Asked if his would be the generation which presides over the destruction of Labor's proud heritage, Mr Crean was blunt. "If the nonsense doesn't end, it will," he told Uhlmann.

8:26am: What are the two rivals doing today? Julia Gillard will address the NSW Country Labor Conference in Cessnock this morning while Kevin Rudd is expected to be out and about in his Brisbane electorate.